Posted on August 21, 2015

Black Lives Matter Group to Rally, Disrupt Operations at Minnesota State Fair

Liz Sawyer, Star Tribune, August 21, 2015

Black Lives Matter St. Paul intends to hold a rally to disrupt operations at the Minnesota State Fair during its opening weekend, the group announced Thursday.

Dubbed #BlackFair, organizers plan to protest St. Paul police shootings and alleged racial disparities at Minnesota’s largest community gathering during a march and demonstration outside the gates. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Aug. 29, supporters will march from Hamline Park down Snelling Avenue to the State Fair gates, disrupting traffic along their route.

“The Minnesota State Fair profits millions of dollars every year, and every year continues to deny black and other minority business owners the opportunity of being a vendor at the fair,” the group said in a released statement Thursday. “Both the Minnesota State Fair and St. Paul Police Department are driven by money over people and white supremacy, which made it easy to choose the location for #BlackFair.”

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